^tmcriran  25oarti  of  Commi^f^Sionerj^  for  ^foreign 


\ 


REPORT 


OK  THE 

DEPUTATION  TO  CHINA 

Presented  to  the  Prudential  Committee 


OF  THE 


V 

AMERICAN  BOARD 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 
Columbia  University  Libraries 


https://archive.org/details/reportofdeputatiOOamer_0 


REPORT  OF  THE  DEPUTATION  TO  CHINA. 


I.  INTRODUCTION. 


I.  The  Beginning  of  our  Missions  in  China. 

It  was  only  fifteen  years  after  William  Carey’s  work  in  India  had  opened 
the  modern  era  of  missions  that  Robert  M.orrison  set  out  from  England  for 
China’s  evangelization,  taking  America  on  his  way  thither.  And  it  was  only 
seventeen  years  after  Judson  and  his  associates  sailed  for  India,  inaugurating 
the  latest  phase  of  Foreign  Missions  for  America,  that  Elijah  C.  Bridgman 
followed  Morrison  to  Canton,  and  our  churches  were  embarked  in  the  effort  to 
win  China’s  millions  to  the  Christian  faith.  India,  the  American  Indians, 
Turkey,  the  Sandwich  Islands,  China;  this  was  the  order  in  the  opening  of 
the  missions  of  the  Board,  and  all  within  nineteen  years  from  its  organization. 
A moment’s  thought  reveals  the  courage  and  faith,  sure  of  divine  resources, 
which  animated  the  movement. 

The  same  considerations  which  today  give  to  China  a leading  place 
among  the  lands  to  be  evangelized  were  clearly  seen  and  deeply  felt  by  the 
fathers  who  initiated  the  work.  The  report  of  the  Prudential  Committee  in 
regard  to  the  establishment  of  the  mission  breathes  a spirit  of  calm  purpose, 
wise  discernment,  and  sublime  faith  : ‘’The  establishment  of  an  American 
mission  in  China  ought  to  have  been  witnessed  many  years  ago ; and  it  should 
be  our  grief  that  it  was  not.  To  the  man  who  studies  effects  in  their  early 
causes,  and  considers  how  many  millions  may  be  beneficially  interested  in  this 
movement,  it  is  a sublime  spectacle.  Doubtless  the  mere  recurrence  of  it  to 
the  mind  will  call  forth  many  a prayer  that  the  pioneers  in  that  warfare  may 
be  sustained  by  a host  of  followers,  and  that  the  great  idolatrous  community 
which  boastingly  calls  itself  the  Celestial  Empire  may  become  entitled  to  that 
appellation  on  account  of  the  innumerable  millions  who  will  go  thence  to 
heaven  through  the  blood  of  Christ  and  the  preaching  of  his  gospel.  ” 

2.  The  Missions  Planted. 

China  is  a continent  in  itself,  and  no  single  mission  or  mission  board 
could  attempt  to  cover  it  all.  Mr.  Bridgman  and  those  who  followed  him 
resided  at  Canton  or  Macao,  and  developed  their  work  from  that  natural 
center,  beginning  in  1829.  Thirteen  years  later,  in  1842,  just  after  the  five 
treaty  ports  were  opened,  Amoy  was  occupied  and  a missionary  work  begun 
which  has  been  prosecuted  continuously  and  successfully  to  the  present  time. 
In  1847  Messrs.  Peet  and  Johnson  went  to  Foochow  and  opened  the 


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mission  there,  which  has  held  its  ground  and  thriven  ever  since.  In  1853 
the  Board  sent  men  to  Shanghai,  and  this  became  a center  of  missionary  work 
for  some  years.  Dr.  Blodget  went  thence  northward  with  the  English  and 
French  armies  in  i860,  and  in  Tientsin  began  that  year  the  first  missionary 
enterprise  in  all  that  region  — the  initiation  of  the  North  China  Mission.  In 
1881  the  Board  organized  a new  mission  in  the  province  of  Shansi,  and  Mr. 
Stimson  went  out  as  its  pioneer.  Two  years  later,  in  1883,  Mr.  Hager  was 
sent  to  Hong  Kong  to  establish  missionary  work  in  connection  with  the 
Christian  Chinese  returning  from  California,  and  the  foundations  were  laid 
for  the  South  China  Mission.  For  ten  years,  from  1834  to  1844,  a printing 
press  and  a mission  were  maintained  at  Singapore,  largely  for  the  sake  of 
the  Chinese  in  those  parts.  While  the  enterprise  was  by  no  means 
without  valuable  results,  it  seemed  inexpedient  to  make  this  point  a center  for 
permanent  work. 

3.  The  Present-  State  of  these  Missions. 

The  first  labors  at  Canton  were  honorable  for  the  patience  and  faithfulness 
with  which  they  were  prosecuted,  and  for  the  quality  of  the  men  engaged  in 
them.  Dr.  Elijah  C.  Bridgman,  Dr.  Peter  Parker,  Dr.  S.  Wells  Williams 
among  them.  But  they  failed  to  strike  a deep  root  and  to  embody  themselves 
in  permanent  institutions ; and  presently  all  that  had  been  gained  passed  to 
other  missions  there  and  the  Board  withdrew  its  men.  Fifteen  years  after  the 
opening  at  Amoy,  in  connection  with  the  organization  of  a mission  board  in 
the  reformed  churches  of  America,  this  mission  and  all  its  missionaries  were, 
in  perfect  harmony  and  good  will,  transferred  to  the  care  of  the  Reformed 
Board.  The  work  there  is  of  the  most  substantial  sort,  and  this  has  become 
one  of  the  strongest  and  most  successful  missions  in  China. 

The  work  at  Shanghai,  which  began  under  favorable  auspices,  suffered 
from  the  loss  of  men  and  the  transfer  of  its  members  to  northern  China,  and 
gradually  passed  into  the  care  of  other  Boards,  and  our  missionaries  were 
withdrawn. 

Thus  there  remain  at  the  present  time  four  missions  under  the  care  of  the 
Board:  the  Foochow  Mission,  in  the  province  of  Fuhkien,  begun  in  1847  ; the 
North  China  Mission,  in  the  provinces  of  Chili  and  Shantung,  opened  in  i860; 
the  Shansi  Mission,  in  the  province  of  the  same  name,  organized  in  1881,  and 
the  South  China  Mission,  in  the  province  of  Kwangtung,  established  in  1883. 

These  are  the  missions  which  the  Deputation  was  instructed  to  visit,  and 
with  reference  to  which  report  is  now  to  be  made. 

4.  The  Reasons  for  a Deputation. 

During  the  sixty-nine  years  since  the  American  Board  entered  China  no 
official  visit  from  the  Rooms  had  ever  been  made  to  this  field,  save  that  of 
Miss  Child,  Secretary  of  the  Woman’s  Board,  two  years  since,  though  the  need 
of  such  a visit  had  often  been  felt  and  acknowledged.  The  first  deputation  of 
the  Board  was  sent  to  the  missions  in  India  in  1854,  forty-one  years  after  they 
were  planted,  wuth  important  results.  The  Sandwich  Islands  were  officially 
visited  in  1863,  forty-three  years  after  they  were  first  opened,  when  the  Board 


5 


was  about  to  withdraw  from  the  work.  The  missions  in  Turkey  were  inspected 
from  the  Rooms  in  1855,  within  thirty-five  years  of  the  beginning,  and  have 
been  officially  visited  many  times  since.  The  Japan  Mission  received  a 
deputation  in  1895,  twenty-six  years  from  its  planting,  when  important  questions 
required  special  investigation.  Official  visits  have  also  been  made  to  our 
Indian  missions  and  to  those  in  Papal  Lands.  The  particular  reasons  for  these 
have  not  been  the  same  ; but  in  the  main  they  are  such  as  apply  to  all  the 
work  of  the  Board.  With  the  growth  of  a mission  new  conditions  appear,  new 
problems  arise,  new  exigencies  are  to  be  met;  and  the  study  of  these  by  the 
officers  of  the  Board,  along  with  the  missionaries  on  the  ground,  is  the  natural, 
the  necessary  method  of  wise  progress.  It  was  inevitable  that  in  time  the 
» missions  in  China  should  receive  such  an  inspection  ; and  the  course  of  events 
during  the  past  decade  has  been  such  as  to  make  an  early  visit  most  important. 
The  missions  have  repeatedly  asked  that  their  Secretary  come  to  the  field ; it 
has  been  felt  at  the  Rooms  that  these  requests  must  be  granted  as  soon  as 
possible. 

On  two  different  occasions  the  Committee  authorized  the  proposed  visit, 
and  preparations  were  begun  ; but  each  time  it  became  necessary  indefinitely 
to  delay  it.  At  last,  however,  in  the  closing  month  of  1897,  when  the  way 
seemed  clearly  to  open,  the  Deputation  was  named.  It  consisted  of  Col.  C. 
A.  Hopkins,  of  the  Prudential  Committee,  E.  D.  Eaton,  D.  D.,  President  of 
Beloit  College,  and  Judson  Smith,  d.  d..  Senior  Secretary,  and  plans  were  at 
once  matured  and  put  into  execution.  Mrs.  Hopkins  and  Mrs.  Eaton 
accompanied  their  husbands,  and  gave  a wider  representation  of  the  missionary 
interests  at  home,  and  made  a happy  addition  to  the  .breadth  and  completeness 
of  the  survey. 

5.  The  Instructions  to  the  Deputation. 

The  call  for  the  visitation  was  wholly  for  the  sake  of  better  acquaintance, 
fuller  information,  the  study  of  important  questions  on  the  ground  in  the  midst 
of  the  people  and  the  work. 

The  instructions  given  to  the  Deputation  ran  in  the  following  terms  : 

“ The  Deputation  to  China  has  been  authorized  in  response  to  repeated 
requests  from  the  several  missions  of  the  Board  in  that  empire,  and  is  desired 
in  order  to  promote  mutual  acquaintance  and  mutual  understanding.  The 
missionaries  desire  the  officers  at  the  Rooms  to  know  their  work  and  its 
surroundings  as  they  themselves  know  it,  by  actual  inspection  upon  the  ground,, 
and  the  officers  at  these  Rooms  have  need  of  just  such  intimate  and  definite 
knowledge  as  this  visit  will  afford.  There  is  no  specially  critical  question  in 
any  of  the  missions  in  China  which  calls  for  immediate  settlement.  The  visit 
is  desired  by  the  missions  and  is  intended  by  the  Committee  to  be  devoted  to 
purposes  of  investigation,  for  the  enlargement  of  information  and  for  Ijetter 
acquaintance.  These  considerations  must  give  direction  to  the  course  that  is 
to  be  followed  by  the  Deputation. 

“ From  information  already  received,  the  time  when  the  missions  can  be 
most  advantageously  inspected  is  during  the  first  part  of  the  calendar  year. 
Accordingly  the  Deputation  is  instructed  to  set  out  for  China  at  the  earliest 


6 


convenient  date,  and  to  make  its  way  thither  with  all  reasonable  expedition. 
The  visitation  will  be  made  to  the  several  missions  in  China  in  the  following 
order,  so  far  as  practicable  : Beginning  with  the  South  China  Mission,  the 
Deputation  will  proceed  thence  to  the  Foochow  Mission,  from  the  Foochow 
Mission  to  the  North  China  Mission,  and  after  this  to  the  Shansi  Mission. 
The  length  of  time  devoted  to  each  mission  and  the  itinerary  within  each 
mission  will  be  arranged  by  the  Deputation  itself,  in  consultation  with  the 
missionaries  in  each  field,  subject  only  to  the  necessary  limitation  of  time  which 
is  available.  It  is  expected  that  the  Deputation  will  use  the  time  at  its 
command  for  as  thorough  an  inspection  as  possible  of  the  several  stations  in 
each  field,  with  all  the  varieties  of  work  carried  on  from  that  center.  Inter- 
views should  be  had  with  the  mission  collectively,  as  far  as  possible,  and  with 
the  members  of  each  station,  and  as  far  as  practicable  also  with  individual 
members,  that  acquaintance  with  the  situation  may  be  as  complete  and  from 
as  varied  sources  as  possible. 

“The  points  particularly  to  be  inquired  after  are  these, — the  location  of 
the  mission  premises  at  each  point,  the  general  state  of  mission  property,  the 
adequacy  of  the  mission  force,  the  native  agency  and  the  means  of  trfiining  it 
for  its  work,  the  condition  of  the  mission  churches  and  their  progress  toward 
self-support,  the  mission  schools  and  their  work,  the  medical  work  of  each 
mission,  woman’s  work  in  each  mission,  the  literary  work  carried  on  within 
each  mission  and  all  questions  bearing  upon  the  opportunities  for  work  and 
the  means  of  making  that  work  more  effective.  The  Deputation  will  convey 
the  salutations  of  the  Committee  and  the  Board  to  the  missions  which  they 
visit,  and  assure  the  missionaries  of  the  warm  sympathy  of  these  Rooms  with 
them  and  their  work,  and  will  receive  from  the  missionaries  all  information 
and  suggestions  and  requests  which  they  desire  to  offer.  And  the  Deputation, 
upon  their  return,  will  be  expected  to  make  full  and  complete  report  to  the 
Prudential  Committee  of  their  journey  and  conferences,  and  of  the  state  of  the 
several  missions  and  stations,  and  of  any  recommendations  which  their 
observations  seem  to  warrant. 

“ Recalling  the  fact  that  the  missions  of  the  Board  in  China  were  begun 
in  1829,  and  up  to  this  time  have  received  no  official  visitation  ; sensible  of  the 
greatness  of  the  field  and  of  the  superior  opportunities  presented  to  the  Board 
therein ; grateful  for  the  remarkable  success  which  has  thus  far  attended 
missionary  work  in  China,  and  especially  for  the  inspiring  outlook  at  the 
present  time  ; desiring  that  this  visit  of  the  Deputation  may  contribute  both  to 
the  comfort  and  satisfaction  and  strengthening  of  the  missions  themselves  and 
to  the  increase  of  intelligent  interest  in  this  field  of  our  missionary  work  at 
home  ; and  praying  that  health,  peace,  and  prosperity  may  attend  the  Deputation 
as  a whole  and  individually  in  their  journeying  and  labors  and  return,  we  bid 
the  members  God-speed.  ” 


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II.  THE  VISITATION. 

I.  General  Statement. 

It  was  agreed  that  the  visitation  should  begin  at  once,  as  it  had  been 
ascertained  that  the  first  six  months  of  the  calendar  year  were  the  most 
favorable  for  this  purpose.  And  in  view  of  the  great  differences  in  climate, 
it  was  determined  that  the  visit  should  begin  with  South  China  and  close 
with  the  missions  in  the  north.  Members  of  the  different  missions  kindly 
furnished  carefully  devised  itineraries,  adapted  to  the  extent  of  the  field 
and  work  in  each  mission,  and  the  time  at  command  of  the  members  of  the 
Deputation  ; and  in  this  way,  as  well  as  in  many  others,  rendered  an  invalu- 
* able  service.  At'  every  point  the  judgment  and  counsel  of  the  missionaries 
concerned  have  been  taken,  and  all  modifications  of  the  plans  of  the  Deputa- 
tion were  subject  to  their  approval.  The  greatest  and  most  serious  limitation 
under  which  the  Deputation  labored  has  been  want  of  adequate  time.  When 
the  great  distances  between  missions  are  considered, — 600  miles  from  Hong 
Kong  to  Foochow,  1,000  miles  from  Foochow  to  Tientsin, — when  the  long 
distances  between  stations  in  the  same  mission  are  borne  in  mind, — 500  miles 
from  Lin  Ching  to  Kalgan,  250  miles  from  Foochow  to  Shao-wu,  125  miles 
from  Canton  to  the  nearest  country  stations  in  South  China, — and  when  the 
mode  of  travel  is  taken  into  account,  by  cart,  or  chair,  or  donkey,  or  boat, 
at  three  miles  an  hour,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  time  at  our  disposal  was  wholly 
inadequate  for  a full  and  thorough  visit.  It  is  also  to  be  remembered  that 
the  details  of  missionary  work  at  any  one  center  are  so  many  and  so  diverse 
that  a week’s  stay  at  a station  does  not  suffice  to  do  justice  to  them  all,  to 
say  nothing  of  those  conferences  with  the  missionaries  themselves,  one  by 
one  and  all  together,  which  are  indispensable  for  the  right  understanding 
of  the  work.  The  limitations  found  in  the  visitor  himself  must  also  be 
remembered.  An  entire  calendar  year,  with  the  allowances  necessary  on 
account  of  bad  weather,  impassable  roads,  and  summer  heat,  would  be 
none  too  much  if  every  mission  and  every  station  and  all  the  work  were 
to  be  properly  visited  and  the  facts  fully  ascertained.  The  Deputation  have 
used  the  time  at  command  most  economically,  have  pressed  their  journeying 
and  visiting  into  the  smallest  compass,  have  given  no  time  exclusively  to 
recreation  and  ordinary  sight-seeing,  and  have  accomplished  what  they 
trust  will  be  satisfactory  to  those  who  sent  them  out,  even  if  it  be  not  all 
that  could  be  desired.  They  were  not  able  to  visit  the  Shansi  Mission  at 
all.  Kalgan  Station  in  North  China  has  not  been  seen,  nor  the  outstations 
of  Pao-ting-fu,  Tientsin,  and  Lin  Ching.  They  could  not  go  to  Shao-wu,  the 
largest  station  in  the  Foochow  Mission,  and  on  some  accounts  the  most 
interesting  and  important.  They  saw  only  two  out  of  the  ten  country 
outstations  in  South  China.  Enough,  however,  was  seen  to  give  a good 
understanding  of  the  work  as  a whole  and  in  its  varied  details. 

The  departure  for  China  was  made  from  Vancouver  January  31st,  and 
the  arrival  at  Hong  Kong,  where  the  work  was  to  begin,  was  on  February 
23rd.  The  departure  from  Shanghai,  at  the  close  of  the  work,  was  June  nth, 
and  the  arrival  in  San  Francisco  July  7th.  Unfortunately,  it  was  impossible 


8 


for  Colonel  Hopkins  to  share  in  the  visitation  of  the  South  China  and  the 
Foochow  Missions,  and  President  Eaton  and  Colonel  Hopkins  were  obliged 
to  withdraw  some  time  before  the  visitation  of  the  North  China  Mission 
was  completed.  The  Deputation  was  greatly  favored  in  weather,  in  journey- 
ing, in  health,  and  in  all  their  work,  and  they  desire  gratefully  to  acknowledge 
the  good  hand  of  God  that  was  upon  them  and  the  abounding  hospitality 
of  the  missionaries  in  every  field, 

2.  The  South  China  Mission. 

The  inspection  of  the  South  China  Mission  began  at  Hong  Kong 
February  23rd  and  concluded  at  Canton  March  2d.  During  this  time  a 
day  was  devoted  to  Hong  Kong,  the  original  center  of  the  mission,  where 
one  of  the  missionaries  still  resides,  and  where  there  is  a self-supporting 
chapel  and  several  government  schools  under  missionary  supervision  ; parts 
of  two  days  to  Canton,  where  we  have  a chapel  and  a training  school,  a 
woman’s  class  and  a girls’  boarding  school ; and  five  days  to  a visit  in  the 
country  districts  a hundred  and  twenty-five  miles  from  Canton,  and  extending 
over  a large  and  populous  territory.  Even  these  five  days  gave  time  only 
to  see  two  outstations  with  their  chapels,  and  left  seven  or  eight  more,  of 
quite  as  great  importance,  unvisited.  The  days  at  the  station  of  San  Ning 
were  marked  by  public  meetings  with  the  native  preachers  and  brethren, 
and  conferences  with  Chinese  laymen  converted  in  America  and  now  aiding 
the  work  by  generous  gifts  and  personal  influence.  At  Sam  Kap,  eight  miles 
distant,  which  was  reached  by  chairs,  the  streets  were  thronged  with  people 
attending  the  fair,  who  pressed  into  the  chapel,  filling  every  inch  of  space, 
and  would  not  go  till  the  foreigners  all,  had  preached  to  them  some  part  of 
the  Word  of  Life.  It  was  a novel  experience  to  speak  to  a heathen  audience 
and  feel  that  one’s  words  were  perhaps  the  first  gospel  message  they  had 
ever  heard,  and  perhaps  also  the  only  one  that  would  ever  reach  some  of 
them.  Here  two  men  were  received  by  baptism ; and  at  a village  near  by  a 
woman  was  also  baptized.  One  needs  to  go  thus  into  the  country,  traveling 
as  the  missionary  does  by  night  and  by  day;  sleeping  as  he  does  in  an 
attic,  without  a bed ; eating  as  he  does  either  what  he  brings  with  him  from 
home  or  what  he  finds  in  the  villages  he  visits;  laboring  with  him  in  season, 
out  of  season,  all  the  hours  of  the  day,  among  all  sorts  and  conditions  of 
mankind ; one  needs  to  do  all  this  really  to  know  what*  missionary  touring  is 
and  of  what  stuff  our  missionaries  are  made. 

These  country  stations  are  very  hopeful  fields ; opposition  is  not  wanting, 
but  there  is  ready  hearing  and  conversions  are  frequent.  The  missionary 
visits  these  outstations  often  in  the  course  of  the  year,  oversees  the  work  of 
the  helpers,  preaches  often  himself,  examines  and  receives  applicants  for 
baptism,  helps  about  chapel  building,  and  keeps  the  work  in  healthy,  growing 
condition.  The  present  situation  is  promising,  the  prospect  for  growth  as 
good  as  any  we  have  seen  in  China.  No  other  mission  is  providing  for  this 
field  or  could  take  charge  of  this  work  as  we  are  doing.  The  great  need  is 
of  better  trained  native  preachers,  who  could  be  ordained  and  given  a 
greater  responsibility.  It  would  be  a great  saving  of  time  and  strength  if 


9 


the  missionary  in  charge  were  living  at  some  convenient  point  in  the  midst 
of  this  field.  The  native  helpers  are,  after  all,  the  critical  point  in  all  mis- 
sionary success.  If  they  are  at  hand  in  good  numbers,  well  trained,  trust- 
worthy, capable,  the  work  will  assume  permanency,  solidity,  self-impulsion, 
and  self-support.  If  they  are  few,  or  poorly  equipped,  unsteady,  incapable 
in  the  higher  ranges  of  service,  the  work  must  go  heavily,  must  show 
weakness  and  uncertainty,  and  cannot  look  toward  self-direction  and  self- 
support.  This  is  the  point  of  anxiety  in  the  South  China  Mission. 

The  Training  School  is  meant  to  supply  preachers  for  the  field,  and  is 
doing  good  work.  Unhappily  the  recent  reduction  in  appropriations  has 
nearly  closed  its  doors,  and  relief  is  urgently  needed.  The  missionaries  and 
their  work  are  highly  esteemed  by  the  members  of  other  missions  in  Canton. 
The  school  for  women  is  also  attractive  and  promising.  The  girls’  boarding 
school  is  doing  good  work,  and  might  easily  be  doubled  in  numbers  if  there 
were  room.  Another  single  lady  to  help  in  this  school  and  to  work  among 
women  in  the  country  is  greatly  needed.  It  would  be  desirable  to  unite  the 
woman’s  class  with  the  girls’  school  in  two  adjoining  buildings,  and  put 
them  both  under  the  care  of  the  single  women.  The  labor  would  not  be  too 
great,  missionary  force  would  be  economized,  and  one  of  the  two  women 
could  spend  a large  part  of  her  time  touring  in  the  field  with  the  missionaries 
in  charge,  a work  that  is  imperatively  needed  to  draw  women  into  the  country 
churches. 

So  much  time  is  necessarily  taken  by  the  Training  School,  and  that 
work  is  so  important,  that  another  preaching  missionary  is  needed  at  once, 
to  be  constantly  in  the  field  and  to  enlarge  the  Christian  constituency  of 
the  mission.  With  the  addition  of  such  a family  and  the  single  woman 
named  above,  this  mission  would  be  well  equipped  for  a symmetrical, 
expanding,  fruitful  work,  and  would  not  need  further  enlargement  for 
some  years  to  come. 

We  have  seen  no  work  more  attractive,  yielding  larger  results  in 
proportion  to  the  expenditure,  more  needed,  or  more  promising  than  the 
work  of  the  South  China  Mission.  Nothing  short  of  the  bankruptcy  of  the 
Board  could  warrant  its  discontinuance.  None  of  its  missionaries  desire 
or  would  consent  to  its  abandonment. 

3.  The  Foochow  Mission. 

The  Deputation  entered  the  Foochow  Mission  March  8 and  left  it  March 
26.  This  mission  comprises  five  stations,  four  in  and  near  the  city  of  Foo- 
chow, and  one  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  inland  on  the  river  Min.  The 
Pagoda  Anchorage  Station  is  located  on  the  south  side  of  the  Min  River, 
seventeen  miles  from  its  mouth  and  seven  miles  below  Foochow  City.  It 
comprises  an  area  of  five  hundred  square  miles,  with  a population  of  half  a 
million,  and  superintends  a work  in  thirty-two  different  villages.  At  a meet- 
ing of  the  native  helpers  with  the  Deputation  there  were  present  three  native 
pastors,  thirteen  native  preachers,  thirteen  native  teachers,  and  three  colporters 
— a noble  body  of  men.  The  entire  native  agency  of  the  station  consists  of 
fifty-six  men  and  women.  The  churches  of  this  station  within  the  past  year 


lO 

have  received  eighty-nine  members  on  confession,  and  inquirers  are  numerous. 
The  care  of  this  entire  field,  with  a woman’s  training  school  and  two  girls’ 
boarding  schools,  now  rests  upon  one  ordained  missionary  and  his  wife. 

The  Ing-hok  Station,  recently  set  off  from  other  fields,  is  located  forty 
miles  from  Foochow  City,  on  the  Ing-hok  River,  and  comprises  an  area  of  at 
least  a thousand  square  miles,  among  the  noblest  mountains  and  along  fine 
river  courses.  Although  a missionary  family  has  resided  here  only  within  the 
past  few  months,  the  field  has  long  been  visited  by  touring  missionaries  from 
Foochow,  chapels  have  been  opened  at  several  villages,  and  a goodly  number 
of  communicants  have  been  gathered.  At  one  of  the  outstations  there  is  a 
well-built  and  commodious  chapel,  with  pastor’s  residence  and  guest  room 
adjoining,  erected  without  expense  to  the  Board,  one  of  the  most  attractive 
centers  found  anywhere  in  the  mission.  This  field  is  open,  the  work  is  hope- 
ful, and  the  best  results  may  be  expected  from  the  faithful  oversight  of  the 
missionary  in  charge.  The  missionary’s  wife  — a physician  — has  in  charge  a 
hospital  for  women,  and  hopes  soon  to  open  a boarding  school  for  girls. 

The  Ponasang  Station,  in  the  south  suburb  of  Foochow,  is  the  first  point 
occupied  by  this  mission,  and  presents  the  work  in  its  most  advanced  and 
fruitful  state.  There  is  one  self-supporting  church  in  this  station  and  others 
are  nearing  this  condition.  The  first  church  has  a membership  of  two  hundred 
and  thirty-seven,  to  which  additions  are  constantly  made  ; its  house  of  worship, 
accommodating  four  hundred,  is  wholly  insufficient  for  its  stated  congregations. 
The  past  year  this  church  not  only  provided  the  salary  of  its  pastor,  but  vol- 
untarily increased  it  by  one-third,  and  also  pledged  and  raised  the  salary  of 
an  assistant.  One  of  the  churches,  organized  less  than  two  years  since,  has 
pledged  its  pastor’s  support.  Two  new  chapels  have  been  opened  within  the 
year.  Nowhere  is  it  more  clearly  the  time  of  harvest ; the  labors  and  prayers 
of  long  years  are  bearing  rich  fruit  to  the  praise  of  God  and  the  joy  of  men. 
The  Theological  School  of  the  mission,  with  seventeen  students,  is  located  by 
the  side  of  the  first  church  of  this  station.  Here,  too,  is  the  girls’  college, 
with  eighty  students,  efficiently  managed,  and  sending  its  Christian  pupils  into 
every  part  of  the  field.  The  Ponasang  Hospital,  a prime  evangelizing  agency 
as  well  as  a means  of  physical  relief,  is  taxed  to  its  utmost  capacity,  with  20,000 
treatments  a year,  and  is  admirably  conducted.  A company  of  twenty  native 
women,  engaged  in  various  forms  of  work  among  women,  met  the  Deputation 
and  presented  a distinct  and  most  important  aspect  of  the  work  at  this  center. 

Foochow  City  Station  occupies  a small  but  eligible  compound  on  the  side 
of  one  of  the  three  hills  in  the  city,  and  is  a busy  hive  of  missionary  work. 
Five  churches,  one  self-supporting,  and  twenty-five  outstations,  each  with  a 
day  school  by  its  side,  are  superintended  from  this  center.  A woman’s  train- 
ing school,  of  twenty  alert  and  eager  pupils,  is  preparing  Christian  women  for 
work  in  homes  among  their  own  sex.  By  its  side  and  under  the  same  super- 
vision is  a promising  kindergarten,  with  eighteen  little  ones,  as  bright  and  as 
attractive  as  can  be  found  anywhere,  breathing  a Christian  atmosphere  and 
taking  the  first  steps  in  Christian  living.  A woman’s  hospital,  admirably 
managed,  is  quartered  here,  and  a small  class  of  promising  women  is  in 
training  for  medical  work  among  their  own  people.  Many  women  of  the  city 


come  to  this  hospital,  and  its  influence  is  opening  many  doors  and  many 
hearts  to  the  gospel  message. 

But  the  largest  enterprise  of  this  station  is  the  Foochow  College,  hitherto 
called  the  Banyan  City  Scientific  Institute.  There  seems  to  be  absolutely  no 
space  in  the  mission  compound  for  it ; but  here  it  is,  with  its  chapel  and 
dormitories  and  recitation  rooms  tucked  away  in  all  corners  and  conceivable 
places,  accommodating  one  hundred  and  ninety  students,  and  doing  a noble 
work  under  its  faithful  and  capable  teachers.  Its  two  parallel  courses  of 
study,  one  in  Chinese  only,  the  other  including  instruction  in  the  English 
language,  gather  a fine  body  of  students.  The  spirit  in  the  college  is  excellent ; 
the  aims  are  high ; Christian  character  is  studiously  cultivated ; and  the 
reinforcement  of  mission  work,  especially  in  the  ministry,  is  the  supreme 
aim.  An  entire  day  was  given  to  the  inspection  of  the  college,  its  housing 
and  equipment,  and  its  work.  The  classes  were  all  examined  in  their  several 
studies  by  their  teachers,  native  as  well  as  foreign,  and  a good  opportunity 
given  to  observe  the  methods  and  spirit  and  standards  of  the  work.  The 
Deputation  also  met  the  students  in  the  hall  at  morning  devotions.  It  is  an 
attractive  and  promising  body,  respectful,  alert,  capable,  tractable.  No  one 
could  see  and  hear  what  was  there  presented  without  a most  animating  sense 
of  life  and  power  and  noble  ideals.  Few  sights  anywhere  impressed  the 
Deputation  more  deeply  or  more  favorably.  The  buildings  which  are  needed 
decently  to  house  the  students  and  the  college  ought  not  to  be  lacking  another 
month. 

These  four  stations  were  thoroughly  visited,  their  varied  work  carefully 
inspected,  conferences  had  with  individual  missionaries,  with  native  pastors, 
alone  and  together,  and  much  of  the  work  in  the  outstations  was  also 
passed  in  review.  And  at  the  close  the  mission  was  in  session  three  full 
days  in  earnest  and  free  discussion  of  all  the  work  in  hand,  and  of  all  the 
problems  that  the  mission  has  to  solve.  This  prolonged  review  and  canvass 
was  of  inestimable  value  in  setting  forth  clearly  the  main  features  of  the 
work  and  the  nature  and  relation  of  the  forces  that  must  carry  it  forward. 
An  important  step  was  taken  in  defining  the  educational  system  of  the 
mission.  It  was  unanimously  agreed  that  this  system  shall  include  : (i)  Com- 
mon schools,  with  kindergartens  ; (2)  high  schools  for  boys,  and  boarding 
schools  for  girls  at  central  points  ; (3)  Foochow  College  for  boys  and  Ponasang 
College  for  girls ; and  (4)  the  Theological  Seminary.  It  is  designed  that 
pupils  shall  be  advanced  from  the  lower  grades  to  the  higher  as  they  give 
promise  of  success  and  of  useful  service.  It  was  also  voted  to  introduce 
English  into  the  curriculum  of  the  girls’  college  to  meet  the  demands  of 
the  girls  themselves.  The  whole  subject  of  education  in  the  mission  schools 
received  the  most  thorough  and  deliberate  attention,  especially  the  means 
by  which  the  native  ministry  may  be  most  promptly  and  strongly  reinforced. 

Before  the  Deputation  reached  Foochow  it  became  apparent  that  a 
visit  to  the  fifth  station  at  Shaowu  would  not  be  practicable.  The  journey 
thither  from  Foochow  requires  three  weeks;  two  weeks  more  would  no 
more  than  suffice  to  survey  the  work  in  a field  many  times  as  large  as  all 
the  other  four  stations  of  the  mission  put  together;  a week  is  the  least 


12 


time  for  the  journey  back  to  Foochow.  Six  weeks  were  not  to  be  found 
in  the  time  at  command  even  for  so  interesting  and  important  a visit  as 
this.  Accordingly  word  was  early  sent  to  Foochow  requesting  that  the 
members  of  this  station  be  invited  to  Foochow  to  meet  the  Deputation 

there.  Inasmuch  as  the  members  of  the  station  found  themselves  obliged 

to  leave  for  a furlough  in  America,  they  timed  their  journey  so  as  to  be 

with  the  mission  in  its  three  days’  meeting  with  the  Deputation.  Thus 

opportunity  was  given  for  fullest  conference  with  these  brethren  in  regard 
to  the  state  and  needs  of  their  field.  Shao-wu  Station  comprises  a district 
about  as  large  as  New  Hampshire  and  Vermont  combined,  lying  around 
the  upper  reaches  and  affluents  of  the  Min  River.  There  are  twenty  out- 
stations  already  opened,  and  as  many  more  centers  ready  for  occupancy  as 
soon  as  men  can  be  found  to  do  the  work.  There  is  a native  agency  of 
twenty-two  men,  one  pastor  just  ordained,  one  evangelist  acquainted  with 
all  the  field,  another  preacher  ready  for  ordination,  and  the  rest  preachers 
and  teachers  of  varying  attainments  and  power.  The  field  is  open  to  a 
remarkable  degree.  Village  after  village  reports  Christians  in  its  midst  and 
calls  for  a stated  preacher.  One  village,  never  visited  by  the  missionary 
or  native  evangelist,  recently  asked  for  a preacher  and  reported  one  hundred 
dollars  raised  to  provide  a chapel  for  the  work.  Inquirers  are  numerous  on 
every  hand.  The  missionary  in  charge  estimates  that  at  least  five  thousand 
are  today  ready  for  Christian  instruction  and  desire  baptism.  And  the  field, 
thus  wondrously  opened  and  made  ready,  has  by  no  means  been  fully 
explored.  Less  than  half  the  villages  that  belong  to  us  have  ever  been 
visited.  The  literary  class  is  equally  accessible  with  farmers  and  mer- 
chants, and  the  Theological  School  of  the  station  has  contained  several 
of  this  class.  The  church  of  this  station  includes  257  members,  of  whom 
twenty-five  were  received  this  year.  So  large  is  the  field,  so  great  the 
harvest,  that  the  station  needs  to  duplicate  itself  at  once.  With  another 
ordained  missionary  and  a physician,  a new  center  could  be  occupied  and 
the  work  almost  doubled.  It  is  doubtful  if  such  a call  as  this  of  work  ready 
and  waiting  has  ever  before  come  to  the  Board  from  China. 

The  work  of  the  Foochow  Mission  we  found  in  a most  advanced  and 
promising  condition.  The  recent  revivals  have  brought  great  numbers  into 
the  churches;  the  movement  toward  self-support  has  kept  pace  with  the 
growth  of  the  churches ; the  native  pastorate  is  developing  as  rapidly  as  the 
circumstances  will  permit.  The  schools  are  full  of  excellent  material.  The 
inquirers  multiply  and  audiences  increase,  so  that  the  only  embarrassment  is 
how  to  teach  them  and  how  to  provide  room  for  them.  The  whole  situation 
is  most  animating  and  inspiring;  the  movement  forward  is  felt  everywhere, 
less  strongly  here,  more  powerfully  there,  but  is  active  and  real  everywhere. 
And  there  is  no  present  sign  of  abatement.  The  native  pastors  themselves, 
when  questioned  on  this  point,  replied  that  they  saw  no  indications  that  this 
advancing  movement  was  likely  to  cease. 

As  illustrative  of  the  special  conditions  which  prevail  in  the  Foochow 
Mission,  let  a few  facts  be  stated.  At  a Christian  Endeavor  rally  which 
greeted  the  Deputation  on  its  arrival  in  Foochow,  the  city  church,  capable  of 


13 


seating  four  hundred  persons,  was  crowded  far  beyond  its  capacity,  and  for  two 
hours  the  entire  number  sat  quietly  and  earnestly  engaged  in  all  the  proceed- 
ings. At  the  weekly  Christian  Endeavor  meeting  in  the  First  Church  at 
Ponasang  more  than  two  hundred  were  present,  freely  taking  part.  The 
entire  body  of  students  in  the  Foochow  College  for  boys  and  in  the  Ponasang 
College  for  girls  belongs  to  the  Christian  Endeavor  Society.  At  a Y.  M.  C.  A. 
rally  in  the  Methodist  church,  where  students  from  the  three  missions  working 
in  Foochow  were  represented,  at  least  eight  hundred  members  were  present. 
It  was  a sight  to  be  long  remembered,  that  body  of  young  Chinese  students 
gathered  in  a church  fora  distinctly  Christian  purpose.  It  was  the  “young 
China”  which  is\o  wield  a decisive  influence  in  the  affairs  of  the  empire  in 
the  not  distant  future.  The  places  are  few  in  America  where  such  a body  of 
Christian  students  could  be  assembled  for  such  a purpose. 

The  welcome  given  to  the  Deputation  by  the  native  Christians  in  China 
was  everywhere  most  cordial  and  delightful ; but  it  was  most  demonstrative  in 
the  Foochow  Mission.  The  explosion  of  firecrackers,  small  and  great,  in  vast 
quantities,  was  a common  greeting  and  expression  of  joy.  It  accompanied  our 
arrival  and  our  departure  ; it  was  an  introduction  to  Sunday  gatherings  as  well 
as  to  week-day  occasions.  VVe  were  escorted  to  the  city  on  our  arrival,  and 
to  the  boat  on  our  departure,  by  a goodly  company  of  the  students  of  the 
college.  We  entered  Ponasang  and  the  compound  in  Foochow  City  between 
lines  of  singing  students  offering  us  good  cheer  ; and  we  left  these  happy 
places  with  the  greetings  and  smiling  faces  of  these  same  unwearied  and 
undiminished  ranks.  The  presence  of  the  Deputation,  who  had  come  ten 
thousand  miles  to  represent  the  interest  of  the  Board  and  of  the  mother  church 
in  America,  deeply  impressed  the  native  Christians,  and  called  out  from  them 
the  warmest  expressions  of  gratitude  and  love. 

Two  things  were  increasingly  clear  as  the  problem  in  this  mission  was 
studied.  The  missionary  force  is  seriously  deficient  in  numbers  ; it  must  be 
increased  considerably,  and  increased  at  once,  if  we  would  not  lose  the  price- 
less advantage  which  is  at  hand.  Four  ordained  missionaries  and  six  single 
women  are  the  least  addition  that  will  meet  the  imperative  needs.  That  is 
only  a fair  measure  of  the  marvelous  success  God  has  bestowed  on  our  work. 
There  is  not  a man  or  a woman  in  this  mission  who  is  not  now  perilously 
overworking.  It  is  inexcusable  want  of  economy  to  suffer  these  laborers  to 
break  down,  and  the  work  to  perish  for  want  of  these  few  but  indispensable 
reinforcements. 

In  the  second  place  the  native  ministry  needs  immediate  and  thorough 
reinforcement.  The  mission  acknowledges  that  this  matter  has  not  been 
looked  after  in  the  past  as  it  ought  to  have  been  done  ; and  now  the  time  of 
great  advance  has  come  and  found  the  native  agency  low  in  numbers  and 
unequal  to  the  call.  The  Theological  Seminary  has  a large  class  of  students, 
but  not  one  of  them  has  had  a thorough  previous  education.  The  mission  has 
a plain  call,  as  one  man,  to  unite  in  bringing  into  the  seminary  every  graduate 
from  the  college  whose  gifts  and  Christian  character  give  promise  of  good 
service  in  the  work  of  the  ministry.  This  is  the  critical  point  in  the  future 
development  of  the  mission ; it  must  not  be  neglected,  and  the  men  must  be 


found.  The  Deputation  believe  the  young  men  of  the  college  will  respond  to 
the  call  if  it  is  laid  upon  them  earnestly,  unitedly,  and  with  prayer.  The  lack 
of  an  educated  ministry  in  good  numbers  is  more  to  be  dreaded  than  a defi- 
cient missionary  force. 

The  diminished  appropriations  of  the  past  years  have  been  keenly  felt  on 
this  field,  and  relief  is  earnestly  hoped  for  at  once  to  fill  the  thinning  ranks, 
to  train  the  native  leaders.  No  one  who  has  not  learned  it  on  the  ground  can 
understand  how  completely  the  missionaries  identify  themselves  with  the  work 
of  which  they  are  in  charge,  not  in  interest  simply,  or  in  effort,  or  in  prayer, 
but  by  gifts ; by  putting  into  that  work  every  spare  penny  of  their  scanty 
salaries ; by  freely  drawing  on  private  funds,  saved  or  inherited,  to  keep  the 
work  unprovided  for  in  appropriations  from  going  to  destruction.  The  tenth 
of  their  salaries  they  regularly  give  ; many  of  them  double  the  tenth,  and 
count  nothing  dear  to  themselves  if  the  work  can  be  relieved  and  furthered. 
What  is  true  in  Foochow  is  equally  true  in  all  the  other  missions.  The 
missionaries  are  not  the  ones  to  tell  of  these  things  ; they  do  not  seem  to  think 
it  is  anything  worth  mentioning.  It  is  for  us  who  know  their  sacrifices,  who 
see  how  this  work  is  indebted  to  them,  to  tell  it  to  their  praise  and  to  awake  a 
kindred  spirit  in  those  who  at  home  support  the  work. 

4.  The  Shansi  Mission. 

Before  the  Deputation  had  been  long  engaged  in  its  duties,  the  conviction 
was  reluctantly  forced  upon  it  that  the  time  at  command  would  riot  suffice  for 
the  visitation  of  the  Shansi  Mission.  Two  weeks’  continuous  journey  is 
necessary  in  order  to  traverse  the  distance  each  way,  and  at  least  two  weeks 
would  be  required  for  the  inspection  of  the  field,  making  no  allowance  for 
necessary  rest.  The  journey  could  not  begin  before  the  first  of  June,  and 
the  hazards  of  intense  heat  and  heavy  rains  during  the  next  seven  weeks  must 
be  taken  into  the  account.  It  was  the  unanimous  judgment  of  the  Deputation 
that  it  was  inexpedient  to  attempt  this  labor  at  that  time,  and  the  opinion  of 
those  members  of  the  North  China  Mission  who  had  visited  Shansi  confirmed 
this  judgment.  Accordingly,  word  to  this  effect  was  sent  to  the  mission,  and 
the  request  made  that  in  lieu  of  the  proposed  visit,  two  members  of  the  mission 
should  come  to  the  annual  meeting  of  the  North  China  Mission  at  Tungcho. 
In  response  to  this  request  Dr.  Atwood,  of  Fen-chow-fu,  and  Mr.  Williams,  of 
Tai-ku,  came  to  Tungcho  and  spent  a week,  giving  ample  opportunity  for  free 
and  extended  conference.  The  presence  of  these  brethren  at  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  older  mission  was  incidentally  of  the  greatest  benefit. 

The  two  stations  of  the  Shansi  Mission  at  Tai-ku  and  Fen-chow-fu  are  now 
fairly  manned,  fully  at  work  in  their  respective  fields,  and  enjoying  a good 
measure  of  success.  In  each  a church  is  organized,  inquirers  are  increasing 
at  the  villages  which  are  regularly  visited,  and  medical  work  is  carried  on  in 
large  proportions.  Schools  are  in  successful  operation,  though  only  in  the 
lower  grades  as  yet ; the  development  of  a high  school  which  shall  prepare 
young  men  for  Christian  work  is  a problem  that  must  immediately  engage  the 
attention  and  earnest  efforts  of  the  mission.  The  opening  of  new  work  at  one 
or  more  strategic  points  within  the  field  at  an  early  day  is  an  urgent  necessity. 


15 


that  the  mission  may  have  room  to  grow  and  yield  its  best  results.  There  is  a 
good  understanding  with  missions  of  other  denominations,  but  this  definite 
occupation  of  its  proper  field  is  a necessity  to  the  continuance  of  good  fellow- 
ship. To  take  this  step  would  require  at  most  but  two  additional  missionaries  ; 
and  this  enlargement  must  be  made  now  or  the  work  of  the  mission  will  be 
permanently  cramped  and  confined. 

The  crying  need  of  a foreign-built  house  at  Tai-ku  has  happily  been  met, 
and  now  the  new  compound  can  be  occupied  and  permanent  improvements 
made.  Further  buildings  will  be  required,  as  in  every  other  mission,  but  this 
one  will  afford  immediate  relief  and  give  a new  impulse  to  all  the  work. 

The  people  of  this  province  are  kindly  disposed  and  accessible ; the 
missionaries  and  native  preachers  receive  attentive  hearing;  the  Christian 
community  already  formed  increases  steadily  month  by  month,  and  the  oppor- 
tunity is  beyond  measure. 

The  two  great  needs  of  the  mission  are  a trained  native  agency  and  an 
increased  foreign  force.  The  latter  the  Board  must  provide ; the  former  the 
mission  must  develop  for  itself.  With  these,  under  God,  the  way  is  open  to  a 
happy,  prosperous  work,  worthy  of  the  Board,  fit  to  take  its  place  beside  other 
mission  work  in  China. 

5.  The  North  China  Mission. 

The  North  China  Mission  is  by  far  the  largest  territorially  and  in  the 
number  of  missionaries  of  all  the  missions  of  the  Board  in  China.  It  includes 
seven  stations  widely  dispersed,  from  Kalgan  by  the  Great  Wall  on  the  north, 
more  than  five  hundred  miles  to  Lin  Ching  on  the  Grand  Canal  on  the  south, 
from  the  Gulf  of  Pechihli  on  the  east  to  the  mountains  west  of  Pao-ting-fu,  two 
hundred  miles  away.  It  is  widely  distributed  over  the  province  of  Chihli,  and 
has  two  important  stations  in  the  great  province  of  Shantung.  All  its  stations 
are  in  large  cities  except  Pang  Chuang,  which  is  a village  in  the  midst  of 
hundreds  of  similar  villages  in  one  of  the  most  populous  regions  in  China. 
The  missionary  force  numbers  sixty,  of  whom  five  are  physicians  and  fourteen 
single  women.  The  population  it  has  access  to  and  for  which  it  alone  is 
working,  numbers  twenty  millions  of  souls;  it  is  doubtful  if  any  other  mission 
of  the  Board  faces  a greater  opportunity. 

The  Deputation  reached  the  field  of  the  North  China  Mission  at  the  end 
of  March,  and  the  visitation  was  completed  June  4th.  In  that  time  six  out  of 
the  seven  stations  had  been  visited,  four  of  them  in  the  most  thorough  manner. 
Kalgan,  the  most  northern  station,  five  days’  journey  from  Peking,  alone 
received  no  visit;  but  all  the  members  of  the  station  on  the  ground,  with  one 
exception,  were  present  at  the  annual  mission  meeting,  and  there  was  full 
opportunity  for  conference  on  all  parts  of  the  station  life  and  work.  The  field 
of  this  station  has  recently  been  more  exactly  defined  in  conference  with  the 
Swedish  Mission,  and  a large  and  populous  territory  stretching  a hundred  miles 
to  the  south  promises  abundant  rewards  for  all  the  labor  and  care  that  can  be 
bestowed  upon  it.  A girls’  boarding  school  is  maintained  with  good  numbers 
in  the  mission  compound ; and  a boys’  high  school  is  fitting  pupils  for  the 
Academy  at  Tungcho.  The  hospital  has  drawn  a large  number  of  patients, 
and  proves  itself  a constant  and  marked  auxiliary  to  the  evangelistic  work. 


i6 


The  native  agency  numbers  five  ; too  few  for  the  needs  of  the  field,  and 
not  as  thoroughly  prepared  for  their  work  as  could  be  desired.  Two  important 
outstations  are  well  occupied,  and  yield  satisfactory  returns.  But  other  points 
are  equally  open,  and  if  the  native  force  were  greater  the  volume  and  results 
of  work  might  be  much  increased.  The  sudden  death  of  the  only  single 
woman,  and  the  enforced  withdrawal  of  the  physician,  at  this  station  leave  a 
great  vacancy  and  plead  powerfully  for  prompt  reinforcement,  that  the  work 
may  not  suffer. 

But  a day  was  spent  at  Lin  Ching,  the  station  farthest  south-  and  most 
recently  established.  During  this  short  time,  however,  the  mission  families 
were  in  close  conference  with  the  Deputation,  the  mission  plant  was  carefully 
examined,  the  chapel  in  the  city  was  visited,  some  of  the  native  helpers  met, 
and  a full  statement  given  of  the  field  and  methods  of  work  employed.  This 
station  has  a large  and  thickly  peopled  field,  in  many  respects  like  that  of  the 
Pang  Chuang  station.  As  yet  its  energies  have  been  much  occupied  with  the 
work  of  purchasing  and  building  and  settlement.  The  ground  seems  ready 
now  for  aggressive  and  continuous  work,  gathering  congregations  and  opening 
chapels  and  schools.  The  station  is  weak  in  its  native  agency,  and  greatly 
needs  a few  well-trained,  devoted  preachers  to  accompany  the  touring  mission- 
ary and  to  supplement  his  labors.  The  plant  is  ample ; the  foreign  force  is 
strong  ; the  field  is  open  and  inviting.  Patient  and  persistent  work  with  the 
divine  blessing  will  surely  yield  a rich  return.  Work  for  women  has  been 
tjegun  under  the  care  of  the  married  ladies ; but  a single  woman  is  greatly 
needed  to  give  all  her  time  to  this  part  of  the  work,  to  go  into  the  country, 
and  call  out  the  women  who  are  waiting  for  the  word  of  salvation. 

At  Pao-ting-fu  three  days  were  spent.  All  the  forms  of  work  in  the 
station  were  examined,  the  premises  were  carefully  inspected,  the  hospital 
and  city  dispensaries  were  visited,  and  most  satisfactory  conference  was  had 
with  the  laborers,  foreign  and  native  alike.  The  visit  here  was  specially 
marked  by  the  examination  and  ordination  of  one  of  the  native  preachers,  a 
promising  graduate  of  the  college  and  seminary  at  Tungcho  ; by  the  formation 
of  a Congregational  Association  for  supervision  of  station  work,  composed  of 
the  three  resident  missionaries  and  the  three  native  preachers;  and  by  the 
admission  of  fourteen  members  to  the  church  on  confession  of  faith.  At  the 
provincial  capital,  situated  in  a fertile  and  populous  plain,  easily  accessible, 
this  station  has  one  of  the  largest  and  most  promising  fields  occupied  by  the 
mission.  The  company  of  a hundred  men  and  women  who  came  up  from 
outstations  a hundred  and  two  hundred  li  (from  thirty  to  sixty  miles)  away  to 
attend  the  ordination  service,  and  who  listened  to  all  that  was  said  with  the 
deepest  earnestness,  were  a visible  proof  of  the  good  and  abundant  material 
out  of  which  the  churches  of  this  station  are  to  be  built.  The  two  native 
pastors  here,  brothers  in  the  flesh  as  in  the  faith,  are  to  receive  hereafter  half 
of  their  support  from  the  native  brethren,  and  the  time  will  not  be  long  before 
their  whole  support  will  come  from  this  source.  The  broken  missionary  force 
at  this  station  for  the  past  eight  years  has  delayed  a development  which,  under 
the  present  most  favorable  circumstances,  we  may  expect  will  be  rapid  and 
steady  and  permanent. 


17 


Tientsin  is  the  oldest  station  in  the  mission,  having  been  occupied  since 
i860.  It  is  also  the  central  station,  through  which  every  one  must  pass  in 
going  to  the  other  stations,  as  well  as  in  reaching  the  Shansi  Mission.  Its 
field,  still  most  extensive,  was  much  diminished  by  the  establishment  of  Pang 
Chuang  as  a station,  and  the  transfer  to  that  station  of  a large  territory  and 
of  more  than  three  hundred  church  members.  A portion  of  its  field  has  also 
been  transferred  to  Pao-ting-fu  station,  and  another  portion  to  the  London 
Mission.  As  the  original  station  it  has  thus  seen  its  work  diminish  relatively 
while  that  of  adjoining  stations  has  increased,  partly  at  its  expense.  At 
present  there  is  avbrighter  prospect  for  growth  than  for  some  time  in  the  past. 
The  native  preachers  number  five,  most  of  them  able  and  true  men.  The 
street  chapel  in  the  city  gathers  a small  number  for  daily  preaching,  but  needs 
some  additional  influence  to  make  it  successful  in  a higher  degree.  The  con- 
gregation in  the  domestic  chapel  is  an  interesting  one  to  meet,  and  the  church 
there  is  growing.  The  girls’  school  numbers  twenty-three  pupils,  and  is  a real 
success.  There  is  a strong  call  for  a single  woman  to  devote  herself  to  this 
school  and  to  woman’s  work,  which  is  in  a backward  state. 

As  the  seaport  of  the  mission,  the  place  of  entry  and  departure  for  all 
missionaries,  and  the  commercial  center  of  the  province,  Tientsin  is  the 
natural  place  of  residence  for  the  treasurer  and  business  agent  of  the  mission. 
Promptness  and  the  avoidance  of  duplicating  labor  alike  are  secured  by  this 
arrangement ; and  the  convenience  of  the  Shansi  Mission  is  greatly  promoted 
also.  In  any  changes  which  it  may  seem  desirable  hereafter  to  make  in  the 
manning  and  working  of  this  station,  this  must  still  remain  the  business  and 
distributing^center  of  the  mission.  Important  questions  met  the  Deputation 
here  concerning  the  administration  of  this  department  of  the  mission’s  work 
and  the  location  and  continuance  of  the  mission  press,  questions  which 
happily  have  since  received  such  careful  study  and  conservative  readjustment 
in  the  annual  meeting  of  the  mission  as  to  relieve  all  present  embarrassment, 
unite  the  judgment  and  support  of  the  entire  mission,  and  open  the  way  to  a 
greater  efficiency  in  both  departments  of  work  hereafter  with  no  increase  of 
expense. 

The  visit  to  Pang  Chuang,  the  country  station  in  the  province  of 
Shantung,  with  the  brief  stay  at  Lin  Ching  already  referred  to,  occupied 
twenty  days,  thirteen  of  them  being  required  for  the  journey  to  and  fro. 
This  station  is  two  hundred  and  twenty  miles  south  from  Tientsin,  and  is 
reached  by  boat  on  the  Grand  Canal.  Work  opened  in  this  region  nearly 
thirty  years  ago,  and  received  a great  impulse  from  the  famine  relief  admin- 
istered by  our  missionaries  in  1878.  During  all  these  early  years  this  region 
was  a part  of  Tientsin  station  and  was  worked  from  that  point.  The  number 
received  to  the  church  and  the  promise  of  the  field  were  such  that  in  1879 
a separate  station  was  organized  here  and  the  field  divided.  It  was  an 
experiment,  contrary  to  received  ideas,  to  set  up  a mission  station  in  a 
village  near  no  large  city ; but  the  results  have  abundantly  justified  the 
attempt.  The  two  ordained  missionaries  and  the  single  women  assigned 
to  this  station  at  the  first  still  administer  the  work,  aided  by  two  more 
single  women  and  a physician.  The  compound  is  a small  village  in  itself. 


i8 


with  its  three  residences  and  necessary  quarters  for  servants,  its  hospital 
with  separate  courts  for  men  and  women,  the  girls’  school  and  its  court, 
apartments  for  women’s  station  classes,  a commodious  chapel,  and  the 
stables,  a very  necessary  adjunct  in  a station  that  does  such  constant  tour- 
ing and  cannot  find  conveyance  in  the  village.  The  houses,  though  so 
many  in  number,  are  very  simple  in  style  and  inexpensive. 

The  Deputation  examined  carefully  all  the  lines  of  missionary  work 
centering  in  the  station,  medical,  educational,  evangelistic;  visited  ten  out 
of  the  nineteen  outstations ; attended  the  quarterly  meeting  of  the  flourishing 
Congregational  Association  of  the  station,  composed  of  the  two  native  pas- 
tors, eleven  other  preachers,  and  the  male  missionaries ; and  attended  the 
Sunday  services  in  the  mission  chapel,  where  during  two  sessions  of  two 
hours  and  a half  each  an  audience  of  five  hundred  men  and  women,  all 
church  members  or  probationers,  sat  in  quiet  and  listened  with  eager 
interest  to  the  appointed  sermons  and  addresses  and  reports.  It  was  a 
most  interesting  spectacle  to  see  the  native  pastors  take  the  lead  (only 
asking  the  missionaries  to  translate  for  the  foreigners),  baptize  the  twenty- 
one  who  united  with  the  church  and  give  the  sacred  pledge  to  the  thirty- 
two  probationers  received,  and  administer  the  sacrament  of  the  Supper, 
and  all  with  the  greatest  seriousness  and  propriety.  People  came  to  that 
service  from  sixty  miles  away;  the  compound  was  thronged  with  men 
and  women  from  all  over  the  country  side ; where  they  all  slept,  how  they 
fed  themselves,  it  would  be  hard  to  tell.  But  the  meaning  of  it  all  was  plain 
and  glorious.  The  gospel  has  won  its  way  to  all  these  homes,  and  they 
gather  from  near  and  from  far  to  worship  and  commune  togetfier,  to  visit 
the  foreign  shepherds,  and  to  renew  their  vows.  The  body  of  native  preach- 
ers, headed  by  the  two  pastors,  was  a sight  to  thrill  one’s  heart.  Thirteen 
men,  trained  and  true,  working  together  in  unity,  loyal  to  the  missionaries 
and  loyal  to  Christ,  mapping  out  the  whole  field,  assigning  to  each  man 
his  part,  agreeing  what  shall  be  done  the  next  three  months,  and  reporting 
to  each  other  what  has  been  done  the  past  three  months.  Self-support  is 
in  their  thoughts,  is  often  on  their  lips,  is  put  practically  into  their  plans. 
And  the  work  for  women  keeps  even  pace  with  that  for  men,  and  is  under 
the  efficient  oversight  of  the  foreign  ladies.  The  hospital  is  thronged  with 
patients ; twenty  thousand  are  treated  every  year.  The  Medical  Department 
of  North  China  College  has  just  been  located  at  Pang  Chuang  in  connection 
with  Its  medical  work.  A new  step  is  taken  in  self-help  and  in  education. 
No  village  schools  for  boys  henceforth  will  receive  any  aid  from  mission 
funds ; and  yet  half  of  them  will  be  continued.  The  graduates  of  the  boys’ 
boarding  school  will  be  ready  to  enter  North  China  College,  and  every 
pupil  hereafter  is  to  pay  enough  to  provide  his  own  food. 

It  would  be  hard  for  the  Deputation  to  suggest  any  point  in  which 
the  work  of  this  station  needs  improvement.  God’s  blessing  has  rested 
upon  the  wise  and  united  labors  of  this  band  in  a high  degree,  and  the 
field  seems  to  be  fairly  taken  possession  of  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  It 
is  a happy  example  of  what  can  be  done  in  China,  of  the  response  Chinese 
hearts  make  to  the  gospel  when  taught  and  exemplified  in  love,  and  the 
whole  mission  and  all  other  missions  may  well  rejoice  and  take  new  courage. 


19 


Several  things  combine  to  make  the  mission  work  centering  at  Peking 
more  than  usually  interesting  and  important.  It  is  the  capital  city  of  the 
empire,  where  the  political  and  military  life  of  the  nation  centers.  It  is  in  a 
great  city,  reputed  to  contain  a million  inhabitants.  It  is  in  close  relation 
to  the  work  of  three  other  important  missionary  societies.  It  has  been 
prosecuted  for  one  full  generation  under  some  of  the  ablest  men  of  the 
mission.  It  is  the  seat  of  the  mission  press  and  of  the  missionary  publica- 
tions emanating  therefrom.  It  is  the  place  of  the  school  of  highest  grade 
for  girls  in  the  mission.  The  work  for  women  has  been  carried  on  with 
great  assiduity  and  with  striking  success.  The  evangelistic  work  in  the 
city  is  more  vigorous  and  successful  than  that  in  any  other  city  in  the  mis- 
sion, while  the  work  in  the  country  outstations  quite  equals  that  in  the  city 
both  in  dimensions  and  in  success.  In  the  city  there  are  two  centers  of 
vigorous  and  progressive  work,  with  a strong  church  in  each,  worshiping 
in  its  own  chapel  and  a street  chapel  in  each,  open  every  week  day  and 
drawing  great  numbers  to  its  services.  Over  one  of  these  churches  a native 
pastor  was  installed  during  the  visit  of  the  Deputation  with  most  impressive 
services,  the  church  pledging  itself  to  provide  his  salary.  It  was  affecting 
to  see  the  native  pastor  of  the  church  at  Tungcho,  a classmate  of  the  new 
pastor,  give  his  friend  the  right  hand  of  fellowship,  and  to  hear  the  charge 
to  the  pastor  and  the  charge  to  the  people  given  by  native  pastors  from 
neighboring  missions.  The  church  in  the  domestic  chapel  already  provides 
the  support  of  the  ordained  evangelist,  who  labors  in  the  outstations,  but 
still  waits  for  a pastor  of  its  own.  Two  of  the  outstations  were  visited  with 
pleasure  and  the  work  at  Cho-Cho,  the  larger  of  the  two,  is  of  greater  dimen- 
sions than  that  of  any  other  outstation  in  the  mission.  The  church  members 
number  over  a hundred,  and  the  Christian  women  reached  from  that  center 
are  very  numerous  and  very  much  in  earnest. 

The  Bridgman  School  for  girls  has  already  won  a good  name  for  its  work 
outside  the  mission  as  well  as  within,  and  is  directed  with  a supreme  reference 
to  the  service  the  girls  can  render  in  their  future  homes.  The  course  of  study 
expands  as  the  times  require,  and  is  thorough  in  discipline  as  well  as  Christian 
in  character.  The  older  pupils  assist  in  the  instruction  of  the  younger  classes, 
and  enjoy  thus  the  benefits  of  a normal  training.  All  the  pupils  are  required 
to  unbind  the  feet ; and  physical  exercise  is  one  of  the  regular  duties  of  the 
day.  The  girls  in  the  four  higher  classes  are  all  Christians  and  exert  a most 
helpful  influence  in  the  school. 

The  press  has  been  located  in  Peking  for  thirty  years,  and  for  most  of  that 
time  has  rendered  valuable  service.  Steps  were  taken  at  the  mission  meeting 
to  put  the  press  into  closer  relations  with  the  mission  and  its  work,  to  release 
the  superintendent  from  all  other  duties,  and  to  give  increased  efficiency  to 
this  mission  agency.  The  demand  for  the  work  of  the  press  outside  the 
mission  as  well  as  within  is  such  as  seems  to  insure  success  under  the  new 
arrangement.  There  is  a very  valuable  mission  plant  in  Peking,  well  located, 
and  attractive  in  arrangement.  The  only  need  of  enlargement  is  for  additional 
dormitories  in  the  Bridgman  School  and  for  a chapel  of  much  larger  dimen- 
sions to  accommodate  those  who  wish  to  worship  there. 


20 


Timgcho,  fifteen  miles  east  of  Peking,  is  the  educational  center  of  the 
mission,  the  seat  of  the  North  China  College  and  of  the  Gordon  Memorial 
Theological  Seminary.  It  is  also,  as  the  Deputation  were  pleased  to  find,  the 
center  of  an  interesting  and  successful  evangelistic  work.  The  work  for 
women  on  this  station  is  in  advance  of  that  for  men,  and  quite  equal  to  that 
for  women  on  any  other  station.  Its  dimensions  are  not  so  large,  perhaps,  as 
may  be  found  elsewhere  ; but  in  thoroughness,  in  character  produced,  and 
services  rendered,  it  is  worthy  of  all  praise.  The  missionary  ladies  of  this 
station  have  always  given  this  work  especial  attention  ; tw'o  of  their  number 
give  half  their  time  to  instruction  in  the  seminary  or  college,  and  the  other  half 
to  visiting  many  villages  and  working  for  the  women  and  children  ; and  one  of 
them  devotes  her  whole  time  to  this  work,  touring  to  great  distances.  A visit 
to  one  of  these  villages,  and  to  the  women  who  gathered,  and  the  school  which 
was  examined,  revealed  the  nature  of  the  work  and  the  value  of  the  quick 
upward  impulse  thus  given  to  many  lives  and  homes.  This  station  enjoys  the 
services  of  a native  pastor  as  modest  and  devoted  as  he  is  able  and  efficient. 
He  and  the  other  native  helpers  form  a body  of  workers  well  adapted  to  sup- 
port and  supplement  the  labors  of  the  missionary  in  charge. 

The  hospital  and  dispensary  in  the  city  are  carefully  arranged  in  entire 
harmony  with  the  great  aim  of  the  mission,  and  aid  the  evangelistic  work  at 
every  turn.  A small  charge  to  every  one  who  desires  treatment  diminishes  the 
number,  but  increases  the  value  of  the  service  rendered. 

The  Theological  Seminary  still  remains  in  the  city  and  is  under  the  imme- 
diate supervision  of  the  dean.  The  Deputation  was  greatly  pleased  with  the 
class  in  the  regular  course,  nine  in  number,  all  but  two  graduates  of  the  college, 
and  all  men  of  promise.  They  showed  the  results  of  previous  careful  training, 
and  were  able  to  make  good  use  of  the  instruction  given  in  biblical  exegesis 
and  history,  in  theology  and  in  church  history.  The  special  class,  formed  as 
an  experiment  of  men  without  college  training,  some  of  them  of  excellent 
native  gifts,  had  made  good  use  of  their  two  years  of  study  and  will  be  able  to 
give  a good  account  of  themselves,  though  but  few  will  be  equal  to  the  work  of 
preaching.  It  is  not  expected  that  the  experiment  will  be  soon  repeated, 
especially  as  the  number  of  college  men  ready  for  the  seminary  is  increasing. 
Observation  in  all  the  stations  of  the  mission  shows  that  this  seminary  has 
rendered  an  invaluable  service  to  the  mission  in  training  a body  of  native 
preachers  not  surpassed  in  any  mission  in  China,  and  worthy  of  the  confidence 
and  commendation  of  all  who  know  them.  Of  the  thirteen  men  belonging  to 
the  Congregational  Association  in  Pang  Chuang  already  mentioned,  nearly  all 
were  trained  in  this  seminary.  Experience  here  seems  to  show  conclusively 
that  instruction  in  Chinese,  in  competent  hands,  suffices  to  train  stalwart 
thinkers,  able  preachers  and  pastors,  fit  to  lead  and  mold  the  church  of  China. 

The  North  China  College  is  located  on  its  own  spacious  campus  of  six 
acres  outside  the  city  of  Tungcho.  Williams  Hall,  the  college  building, 
simple  but  of  dignified  and  attractive  style,  furnishes  dormitories  for  the 
students  and  the  public  rooms  needed  for  college  purposes.  Near  it  stand 
four  commodious  houses,  the  homes  of  the  president  and  the  foreign  teachers. 
Here  the  Deputation  found  the  college  busy  at  its  work,  with  seventy-four 


21 


students,  thirty-six  in  the  academy  and  thirty-eight  in  the  college  classes. 
There  are  rooms  for  ninety  students  in  the  College  Hall,  and  boys  are  ready 
and  waiting  to  fill  up  the  entire  number.  But  twice  within  the  past  five  years 
no  new  class  has  been  admitted,  simply  for  lack  of  funds  to  support  them. 
And  the  same  question  must  be  met  this  year.  Considering  the  quality  of  the 
men  now  in  the  college  and  the  service  rendered  by  its  graduates,  there  is  no 
need  which  the  college  and  the  mission  deem  more  urgent  than  that  of  an 
increased  fund  for  the  support  of  students.  The  closing  examinations  were 
conducted  with  thoroughness  and  showed  solid  attainments  in  the  essentials 
of  a liberal  education.  The  academy  exhibition  was  diversified  with  a farce 
written  by  one  of  the  students,  and  acted  out  with  great  zest  and  point  by 
those  who  took  part  in  it.  The  college  commencement  was  marked  by  the 
usual  incidents;  the  orations  were  on  high  and  worthy  themes,  predominantly 
political,  and  patriotic  to  an  astonishing  degree,  when  the  absence  of  patriotism 
among  the  Chinese  is  borne  in  mind.  The  music  was  perhaps  the  greatest 
surprise,  especially  after  experience  elsewhere.  Here  were  actually  melodious 
tones,  cultivated  voices,  singing  in  four  parts,  led  and  accompanied  by  native 
musicians.  To  crown  it  all  the  Hallelujah  Chorus  was  rendered  by  fifty 
voices  in  such  time  and  harmony  and  with  such  thrilling  effect  as  would 
awaken  admiration  if  heard  from  any  college  platform  in  America.  What 
cannot  the  Chinese  do  if  they  are  equal  to  this  remarkable  achievement ! 

The  whole  impression  of  the  college  was  most  happy ; it  is  wisely  man- 
aged and  is  an  incalculable  blessing  to  the  mission  and  to  China.  The  Bible 
is  the  supreme  text-book;  Christianity  breathes  in  the  air,  speaks  through  the 
teacher’s  words  and  personal  influence,  and  wins  its  way  to  every  heart.  The 
graduates  are  men  of  power,  and  as  the  great  majority  of  them  enter  the  min- 
istry, the  mission  is  reinforced  from  this  source  more  effectually  year  by  year 
than  by  all  the  additions  made  to  the  mission  force  from  home.  The  Depu- 
tation are  of  one  mind  that  the  money  expended  on  this  college  yields  as 
immediate  and  as  abundant  fruit  as  any  that  is  spent  anywhere  on  mission 
ground. 

The  week  devoted  to  the  annual  meeting  of  the  mission  was  full  of 
interest  and  instruction.  It  is  doubtful  if  any  other  seven  days  could  have 
been  of  so  much  value  in  this  visitation.  Seventeen  out  of  twenty-one  men 
in  the  field  were  present,  and  fully  one-half  of  the  women.  The  meeting 
opened  with  a praise  service  Saturday  evening,  with  two  Chinese  sermons 
and  one  English  sermon  on  Sunday.  Each  day’s  sessions  were  opened  by  a 
devotional  service  of  twenty  minutes;  each  day’s  services  closed  with  prayer, 
and  a prayer  meeting  occupied  each  evening  of  the  week.  The  business  was 
as  thoroughly  done  as  if  that  were  all  that  were  in  mind.  The  reports  of  the 
year’s  work  filled  a day  and  a half.  The  committee  of  the  whole  canvassed 
thoroughly  all  important  questions,  and  prepared  the  way  for  quick  and  har- 
monious action.  The  estimates  prepared  by  each  station  before  the  time  of 
the  meeting,  scrutinized  by  a committee  of  eight  for  many  hours,  and  finally 
submitted  to  the  criticism  of  the  whole  body,  received  such  attention  as  must 
satisfy  the  most  careful  business  men.  There  is  deliberate  discussion  of  all 
debatable  matters,  courteous  treatment  of  differing  views,  earnestness  and 


22 


conviction  in  urging  what  is  deemed  wise,  good  nature  and  loyalty  in  assent- 
ing to  the  majority  vote.  Perhaps  the  settlement  of  questions  by  private 
conference  was  carried  rather  far,  though  the  results  were  most  happy.  The 
mission  as  a whole,  both  men  and  women,  appeared  to  good  advantage  in  this 
great  meeting.  We  may  well  have  great  confidence  in  the  decisions  of  this 
body  and  pay  good  heed  to  their  suggestions. 

The  literary  work  of  the  mission  deserves  favorable  mention.  Such  work 
is  an  essential  and  honorable  part  of  any  missionary  enterprise.  It  is  as 
necessary  to  give  a people  the  Bible,  adequately  translated  into  their  own 
tongue  for  the  perpetuation  and  development  of  the  Christian  life,  as  it  is  to 
present  the  gospel  to  them  at  first  for  the  initiation  of  that  life.  And  school 
books  in  the  vernacular  are  as  indispensable  in  all  grades  of  instruction  as 
teachers.  In  a word,  a church  in  an  unevangelized  land  needs  a literature  for 
its  life  and  growth  for  the  same  reasons  that  we  require  these  things  here  at 
home.  Our  missionaries  have  been  quick  to  see  this  need  and  have  borne  an 
honorable  part  in  supplying  it.  The  records  in  the  Ely  volume  on  this  subject, 
which  now  need  extensive  supplementing,  are  occasion  of  pride  to  every  friend 
of  the  Board. 

In  the  North  China  Mission  Dr.  Sheffield  is  now  engaged  with  a committee 
representing  several  other  missions  in  bringing  out  a new  version  of  the  Bible 
in  the  classical  language,  and  devotes  two  hours  each  day  to  this  important 
work.  He  is  the  author  of  text-books  in  theology,  in  church  history,  in  gen- 
eral history,  and  of  other  works.  Dr.  Goodrich  is  in  like  manner  employed  in 
bringing  out  a new  Mandarin  version  of  the  Bible,  and  gives  two  hours  a day 
to  this  work.  He  is  the  author  of  a Syllabary,  an  important  help  in  studying 
Chinese,  of  a hymn  book  used  widely  in  the  churches  of  our  mission,  and  of 
other  works  in  wide  demand.  Dr.  Porter  has  written  a valuable  work  on 
Anatomy.  The  revision  of  Williams’s  Chinese  Dictionary  is  now  in  the  hands 
of  a committee,  of  which  Mr.  Kingman  is  chairman,  and  Messrs.  Smith,  Porter, 
Goodrich  and  Sheffield  the  other  members. 

In  the  Foochow  Mission  Mr.  Hartwell  has  worked  in  the  translation  of 
the  Scriptures  into  the  colloquial,  and  in  the  preparation  of  school  books. 
Dr.  Whitney  is  now  engaged  in  revising  a work  on  Physiology  for  the  use 
of  the  schools.  Other  important  work  is  contemplated  in  both  missions. 


23 


III.  GENERAL  OBSERVATIONS. 


I.  Other  Missions. 

No  inconsiderable  part  of  the  pleasure  of  the  visitation  arose  from  the 
intercourse  enjoyed  with  missions  of  other  boards.  The  Deputation  came 
into  contact  with  the  American  Presbyterian  missions  at  Canton,  Shanghai, 
Peking,  and  Pao-ting-fu.  The  American  Methodist  missions  were  visited  at 
Foochow,  Tientsin,  and  Peking.  The  brethren  of  the  London  Missionary 
Society  were  met  at  Hong  Kong,  Amoy,  Shanghai,  Tientsin,  and  Peking. 
The  laborers  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  at  Foochow,  and  of  the 
American  Baptists  at  Swatow,  extended  a most  hearty  welcome.  The  Ameri- 
can Reformed  Mission,  our  own  successor  at  Amoy,  were  celebrating  the 
fiftieth  anniversary  of  their  first  church  building,  the  first  Protestant  house 
of  worship  erected  in  China,  and  the  Deputation  were  cordially  invited  to 
share  in  the  interesting  services.  Representatives  of  the  American  Protestant 
Episcopal  Mission  and  of  the  China  Inland  Mission  were  met  at  Shanghai. 
With  all  these  brethren  the  Deputation  had  delightful  intercourse,  and  found 
the  denominational  lines  essentially  erased  everywhere.  The  Deputation 
were  invited  to  meet  and  address  the  Missionary  Associations  of  Foochow 
Tientsin,  and  Peking,  and  were  received  as  the  guests  alike  of  all  the 
boards  represented  in  those  associations.  The  work  in  these  several  mis- 
sions has  many  features  in  common,  shares  common  aids  and  hindrances, 
and  is  to  be  counted  each  as  a part  of  one  great  evangelizing  agency.  The 
differences  of  faith  and  worship  among  Protestant  missions  are  reduced  to 
the  lowest  point  and  constitute  no  appreciable  hindrance  to  missionary 
work ; and  the  essential  unity  of  the  Christian  church  is  felt  and  practically 
exhibited  on  missionary  ground  in  a high  and  impressive  degree. 


2.  The  Chinese  People. 

Nothing  which  occupied  the  attention  of  the  Deputation  was  more  inter- 
esting or  impressive  than  the  people  themselves.  They  were  constantly  in 
evidence,  in  city  and  country,  on  the  rivers  and  on  the  sea ; their  numbers  are 
simply  overwhelming.  Where  they  all  live,  and  how^  they  find  work  and  food 
and  clothing,  is  a mystery.  The  children  are  the  most  numerous  of  all ; every 
home  seems  to  be  full  of  them;  they  play  in  the  streets  of  the  great  cities; 
they  fill  the  villages  with  active,  healthy,  ringing  life.  These  people  have  not 
lost  virility  or  physical  force ; they  are  no  decadent  and  outworn  stock,  but 
seem  equal  to  life’s  demands  and  to  have  a firm  hold  on  the  future.  The  men 
fulfill  the  expectation  which  a view  of  the  children  creates ; they  are  sinewy, 
muscular,  full  of  strength  and  cheerful  endurance.  Their  industry  is  some- 
thing striking  and  phenomenal,  and  their  thrift  is  equal  to  their  industry_ 
Their  wants  are  few,  their  lives  are  simple,  their  habits  favor  sustained  strength 
and  quiet  nerves.  Their  actual  possessions  may  be  few  and  of  trifling  worth, 
but  they  are  able  to  make  the  most  of  little,  and  to  be  cheerful  under 
conditions  which  would  seem  to  us  impossible  of  endurance.  The  content- 


24 


ment  of  the  laboring  classes  in  city  and  country  is  remarkable.  Their  kindly 
bearing  toward  foreigners  is  equally  to  be  noted  ; at  no  point  in  all  our  jour- 
neys from  Canton  to  Peking  and  far  into  the  interior  had  we  any  serious 
occasion  for  fear  or  personal  annoyance. 

The  intellectual  powers  of  the  people  are  vigorous;  in  the  mission  col- 
leges and  higher  schools  these  are  put  well  to  the  test,  and  are  not  found 
deficient.  Their  mental  bias  is  toward  the  practical  rather  than  the  speculative  ; 
but  they  are  abundantly  able  to  deal  effectively  with  logic  and  philosophy  and 
mathematics.  The  Christian  character  of  the  converts  is  an  occasion  of  joy 
to  all  who  see  it  and  feel  its  genuineness  and  depth.  The  gospel  comes  to 
them  with  all  its  native  heavenly  power  and  draws  out  the  nobler  elements  of 
character,  and  unseals  new  founts  of  feeling  and  kindles  aspiration,  and 
transforms  heart  and  life  and  countenance  as  it  has  made  new  creatures  of  all 
the  peoples  to  whom  it  has  come.  The  Chinese  Christians,  as  a rule,  show 
great  patience  under  persecution,  great  fidelity  to  Christian  principle,  a ready 
obedience  to  the  claims  of  duty.  They  are  unusually  generous  in  their  pecu- 
niary contributions  to  Christian  objects,  quick  to  take  up  self-support,  true  to 
pledges  given,  and  capable  of  acting  together  steadily  in  a common  enterprise. 
The  native  pastors  are  a noble  body  of  men,  worthy  of  confidence  and  of  the 
leadership  which  devolves  upon  them.  They  are  loyalty  itself  toward  the 
missionaries,  and  constantly  consult  their  wishes  and  opinions.  They  are  good 
preachers,  practical,  thoughtful,  instructive,  and  often  truly  eloquent.  The 
students  in  the  mission  colleges  are  picked  men,  of  great  promise;  no  one  can 
see  them  and  be  with  them  even  for  a few  days  without  feeling  a new  confi- 
dence in  them  and  in  the  people  to  whom  they  belong.  The  touch  of  education 
and  the  inspiration  of  Christian  faith  are  making  of  them  new  men,  patriots, 
scholars,  thinkers,  leaders  of  the  “ new  China”  to  which  they  by  eminence 
belong,  and  of  which  they  are  largely  to  be  the  creators. 

Many  a time  as  we  mingled  with  these  people  we  seemed  to  ourselves  to 
be  witnessing  the  new  birth  of  a great  nation  to  liberty  and  political  unity,  to 
learning  and  a Christian  civilization.  And  the  scene  of  this  silent,  deep 
transformation  was  not  at  the  capital,  amid  the  embassies  of  the  great  powers. 
It  was  in  the  churches  and  chapels,  the  schools  and  homes  of  the  Christian 
missions,  which,  scattered  up  and  down  along  the  coast  and  far  into  the 
interior  of  every  province,  are  like  outposts  of  a great  army,  set  to  guard  and 
to  deliver  the  land. 


3.  The  Political  Situation. 

The  visit  of  the  Deputation  coincided  with  a remarkable  movement 
in  China,  political,  commercial,  social,  which  has  a very  direct  bearing 
on  the  prosecution  of  missionary  work  there.  Great  changes  had  taken 
place  during  the  first  fourscore  years  of  missionary  effort,  and  others  were 
already  in  progress.  But  the  war  with  Japan  hastened  all  such  movements 
and  precipitated  what  would  otherwise  have  come,  but  more  slowly.  This 
proud,  conceited,  exclusive  nation  was  humbled,  pitifully  delivered  to  her 
once  despised  neighbor,  and  shown  to  herself  and  to  the  world  in  all  her 
impotency,  while  the  corruption  and  incapacity  of  the  government  were  held 


25 


up  to  ridicule  and  contempt.  Other  foreign  powers  at  once  stepped  in,  not 
for  China’s  deliverance,  but  for  their  own  national  ends,  and  in  her  extremity 
seized  her  lands,  controlled  her  policy- and  wrought  their  will.  Russia,  Ger- 
many, France,  England,  seemed  only  to  have  to  state  their  demands  to  have 
them  complied  with. 

China,  however,  is  not  extinct,  is  not  even  moribund.  She  is  humiliated 
and  helpless  for  the  time,  but  she  is  learning  her  lessons  rapidly.  It  is  well 
understood  among  her  leading  men  that  she  is  behind  all  other  nations  in 
internal  development,  in  the  arts  of  defence,  of  communication,  of  govern- 
ment. And  she  is  forced  to  look  to  the  West  to  repair  her  losses,  to  make 
good  her  deficiencies,  to  gather  strength  for  future  needs.  Hence  the  tele- 
graph is  spreading  its  wires  to  the  ends  of  the  empire,  railroads  are  projected 
and  actually  building  on  a scale  to  astonish  the  outside  world ; mines  are  to  be 
opened  and  the  vast  treasures  of  the  hills  to  be  brought  forth.  Among  the 
people  there  is  no  resentment  toward  foreign  occupation  ; the  officials  them- 
selves enforce  respect  for  foreigners  and  special  regard  for  their  wishes. 
While  the  war  with  Japan  brought  all  this  sharply  into  view,  for  the  Chinese 
and  for  all  the  world,  the  causes  lie  deeper.  Contact  with  other  nations  in 
varying  ways  had  had  its  effect ; the  teaching  and  example  of  the  Christian 
life  in  the  missionary  work  of  fourscore  years  had  wrought  as  silently  but  far 
more  powerfully.  The  transformed  lives  of  the  Christian  converts,  their 
meekness  under  persecution,  their  patience  and  heroism  in  death  for  their 
faith,  had  been  seen  and  felt,  and  had  wrought  the  conviction  that  this  is  the 
true  faith,  the  natural  portion  of  the  human  soul.  It  is  the  story  of  the  faith 
in  the  first  centuries,  when  here  and  there  in  every  province  and  city,  no  one 
knew  how,  confessors  appeared  and  the  gospel  won  its  secret,  glorious  way. 

This  influence  in  China  is  widely  spread  among  the  middle  classes,  is  felt 
by  a few  among  the  governing  class,  and  is  maturing  Christian  harvests  such 
as  the  world  in  modern  days  has  never  seen.  It  is  the  deliberate  judgment 
of  experienced  men,  long  in  the  field,  that  China  is  today  one  of  the  most 
hopeful  missionary  fields  in  the  world.  The  old  faiths  are  decaying,  the 
minds  of  all  classes  are  open,  and  external  barriers  are  removed  in  the  most 
providential  way.  Notwithstanding  the  enormous  difficulties  that  attend  the 
work,  in  spite  of  the  many  and  formidable  obstacles  which  must  be  overcome, 
even  though  progress  is  slow,  and  only  a beginning  has  yet  been  made,  God’s 
hour  for  the  evangelization  of  this  populous  and  ancient  stronghold  of  pagan- 
ism is  here ; and  the  summons  to  our  zeal  and  devotion  is  as  clear  and  inspir- 
ing as  the  angelic  song  which  fell  on  the  shepherds’  ears  at  the  advent  of  our 
Lord  : “ I bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall  be  to  all  people.” 

This  is  a new  situation  and  is  affecting  the  sentiments  and  attitude  of 
the  people.  The  Western  faith  shares  the  welcome  of  the  Western  arts ; it 
is  felt  to  be  connected  with  them,  a part  of  them.  And  thus  a highway  of 
the  Lord  is  cast  up  by  these  events  over  which  the  messengers  of  the  gospel 
can  swiftly  march  to  complete  occupation  and  ultimate  victory.  Whatever 
particular  nations  may  gain  or  lose,  the  kingdom  of  God  is  to  be  the 
immediate  and  the  lasting  heir  of  all  progress  and  the  opening  of  the  nation. 
We  could  feel  all  this  as  we  moved  about  and  gathered  the  sense  of  the 


26 


people ; we  could  see  the  opened  doors  before  the  missionaries,  the  broken 
bars  and  prostrate  prison  guards  over  which  the  advance  is  making. 

I'he  government  of  China,  imperial  and  provincial,  by  the  stress  of 
circumstances  is  coming  to  be  the  protector  of  missionaries  and  their  work. 
The  people  of  China  are  turning  with  respect  and  desire  to  the  message  of 
the  gospel.  It  is  a wonder  of  wonders ; it  is  the  ripening  fruit  of  hundreds 
of  years.  The  day  of  China’s  salvation  has  come,  and  the  hosts  of  the  Lord 
have  but  to  advance  and  win  her  to  Christ.  The  China  which  Morrison 
knew,  which  Bridgman  entered,  has  passed  forever  away.  Even  the  China 
which  Blodget  penetrated  in  the  wake  of  European  armies  is  no  more.  A 
new  nation  is  arising  — not  immobile,  exclusive,  impassive,  like  the  old,  but 
open  from  the  sea  to  her  farthest  mountain  range,  from  Siberia  to  Burma . 
open  to  the  foot,  the  message,  the  life  of  the  Christian  herald ; its  rivers 
and  its  roads,  its  railways  and  telegraphs,  its  cities  and  homes  — all  accessible 
to  the  best  the  Western  world  has  to  give.  She  is  not  now  Christian  ; but 
she  is  awakening ; her  eyes  and  ears  and  heart  are  open,  and  if  we  will  we 
may  lead  her  to  her  Lord  and  to  a future  of  matchless  peace  and  glory. 
As  the  virgin  Continent  of  the  West  once  lay  before  Christian  Europe,  to 
be  won  for  Christ  if  Europe  were  equal  to  the  task,  so  China  lies  today 
before  the  Christian  Occident,  to  be  made,  under  God,  what  their  faith  and 
zeal  shall  decide.  God  grant  to  these  nations,  and  to  America  above  all 
the  rest,  to  see  their  privilege  and  to  win  this  great  empire  of  the  East  to 
the  triumphing  kingdom  of  her  Lord  ! 

[Signed]  Judson  Smith. 

Charles  A.  Hopkins. 

Edward  D.  Eaton. 


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